What’s On | Round 10 
Waalitj Marawar v GWS Giants | Sir Doug Nicholls Round 
Sunday, May 17 | 4.15pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk 
Gates open 2.45pm 

This Sunday, we take on the GWS Giants in Sir Doug Nicholls Round, as we celebrate and recognise the contribution of First Nations people to the game and the wider community.  

During Sir Doug Nicholls Round, across round 10 and 11 of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, we will feature the Noongar language translation of the West Coast Eagles - Waalitj Marawar, meaning 'Eagles of the West'.

We will be wearing our Waalitj Marawar First Nations guernsey, designed by Andrew Beck (Ngadju Mirning Wudjari). Andrew has drawn on story, symbolism and the club’s history to create a guernsey rich in meaning.

Special to our home Sir Doug Nicholls Round match, don’t miss the live Welcome to Country, Waalitj Moort market, and other First Nations-themed match day activations.

Match Day Timeline

2.45pm | Gates and Fan Zone open 

3.59pm | Team entry 

4.08pm | Welcome to Country – performed by First Nations Elder-in-Residence, Simon Forrest 

4.13pm | First Nations gift exchange & coin toss 

4.15pm | First siren 

Quarter-time | BHP Race the Train

Half-time | Lachy John and the Red Bellies live band performance & Member Moments 

Three-quarter time | Crown Kick to Win & AGL West Coast Wave – help build the energy for the final quarter! 

Post-match | Player giveaways to lucky fans around the boundary

First Nations Gift Exchange 

A First Nations gift exchange will occur pre-match. We will present GWS Giants with blue and yellow canvas and tapping sticks, painted by Noongar artist Richard Kickett. In Noongar culture, dot painting is a sacred way to share connection to Country.  

The connection to the river is reflected through different shades of blue, representing the waters that pass through Whadjuk Boodja (Country), while the yellow dots symbolise the warmth, light, and life-giving power of the sun. 

Fan Zone

Head to the Fan Zone on the western concourse on Level 1 (inside Gate D) from 2.45pm:   

• Waalitj Moort market – purchase themed homewares and handmade accessories from First Nations Artisanal stalls (open until the end of half-time). 
• Waalitj Foundation display – dot painting, animal cut-outs (crafts) & merchandise giveaways 
• Selected player signings from 3.15pm (subject to change) 
• Arts and crafts station – make your own sign or bracelet 
• Airbrush tattoos and face painting 
• Games galore – handball and kicking targets, cornhole, and reaction game 
• Triple M games and giveaways 

Beat The Siren – exclusive food & beverage deals 

Thanks to our partnership with Optus Stadium, enjoy more exclusive food and drink deals from gates open until the match begins.

Flu Vaccination Clinic – Eastern Atrium 

A free Flu Vaccination Clinic will be available this match day, provided by the Department of Health.  The clinic will be located in the Eastern Atrium inside Gates A and B – arrive early to avoid delays.

Curtin raiser 

Arrive early and watch our Deadly Sista Girlz curtain raiser. Entry for the curtain raiser is via Gate C from 2.00pm. Please note, all patrons must hold a valid ticket to the Waalitj Marawar v GWS Giants match to enter Optus Stadium for the curtain raiser.

SuperStore Hours

Remember your Whopper Goal!

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Sunday, May 17, 4.15pm

TV: Live on 7 and 7plus in WA and New South Wales, nationally on Fox Footy and Kayo (see broadcast guide here)

Last time we met: GWS 16.15 (111) defeated Waalitj Marawar 8.4 (52) at Optus Stadium, Round 17, 2025.

Greater Western Sydney’s trademark surge proved too strong when the sides last met at Optus Stadium, with the Giants racing to an early lead and never relenting on the way to a 59-point win. The Eagles showed patches of fight, with Reuben Ginbey solid in defence and Harley Reid battling hard through the midfield but were unable to contain GWS’s running power as the visitors broke the game open across the first three quarters.

What it means for the Eagles: A win over GWS this weekend would carry extra significance as the club celebrates Sir Doug Nicholls Round, honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and contributions to the game. Running out in a specially designed First Nations guernsey adds further meaning, with the design telling a powerful story of the club’s identity and connection to Country. The Eagles are showing improvement in some key areas and bringing all parts of their game together would be a positive sign and set up a hard-fought contest.

The stat:  Liam Duggan’s 210th game this weekend will see him move ahead of two club greats - Quinten Lynch and John Worsfold in total number of games played for the club.

The match-up: Reuben Ginbey v Aaron Cadman

Relentless defender Reuben Ginbey takes on one of the competition’s emerging key forwards in former No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman. Ginbey’s strength, composure and willingness to compete will be tested against Cadman's aerial threat, agility and goalkicking threat (10 in four games this season). Ginbey has built a reputation for taking on every challenge and competing hard regardless of opponent, and his ability to nullify Cadman's influence could prove pivotal in shaping the contest.

It’s a big week for: Tim Kelly and Malakai Champion

Sir Doug Nicholls Round holds special significance for Waalitj Marawar’s First Nations players. Representing his culture and community, Kelly will run out at Optus Stadium in a guernsey rich in meaning, celebrating the connection between the club, country and people, while the experienced midfielder will look to lead from the front on a night that honours his culture. Alongside him, young forward Malakai Champion continues to build his career at AFL level, embracing the opportunity to represent his culture on the big stage and add to his growing impact within the side.

Big call: Tim Kelly to rack up 10 score involvements and 30+ disposals in a standout Sir Doug Nicholls round performance.

Waalitj Marawar stunned Greater Western Sydney in a Sunday night thriller at Optus Stadium, coming from behind in the fourth quarter to win by 17 points and snap a six-game losing run. 

The Eagles produced the best pressure football of their season to win their third game, soaking up repeated challenges from the Giants and then rattling home with the last four goals of the game to win 13.10 (88) to 10.11 (71). 

In a clash between 13th and 16th that delivered well above expectations, both teams producing spirited bursts of high-intensity football in a desperate contest that went down to the wire. 

It was the Eagles who stood up in the critical moments, however, with spearhead Jake Waterman kicking back-to-back set shot goals to turn the game in his team's favour in a standout performance. 

Ruckman Bailey Williams was outstanding in his best game for the club, kicking a clutch late goal after a powerful mark, with pre-season draftee Milan Murdock putting the finishing touches on late with a goal on the siren.  

Young superstar Harley Reid was outstanding for the Eagles and drove the engine room all day with 33 disposals, 10 clearances, 12 inside 50s and two critical goals, producing one of the best games of his young career. 

It was the relentless pressure that the Eagles applied as a team, however, that was critical to their fourth win under coach Andrew McQualter, with chasedown tackles, smothers and powerful spoils typifying the performance.   

Their pressure on-field will now turn the heat up on the Giants, who are left in a perilous position at 4-6, with clashes to come against back-to-back premier Brisbane and a red-hot Narrm before their bye in round 13. 

The visitors will rueful wasteful kicking early when they had all the momentum, with midfielder Clayton Oliver (38 disposals and 12 clearances), wingman Harvey Thomas (25 and a goal), and defender Jayden Laverde fighting hard throughout. 

Coach Adam Kingsley was wary in the build-up of the Eagles' stoppage game, but his midfielders hit the ground running and allowed the visitors to dominate play in the opening quarter. 

Led by Oliver, who had five clearances and 12 disposals for the term, the Giants controlled the groundball game and kicked early goals through Brent Daniels and Toby Bedford. But they were wasteful thereafter and kept the Eagles in the contest with a 2.6 quarter, leading by 10 points at quarter time.

While everything had looked hard for the Eagles in the first term, they bounced into the second with more energy and an intent to hunt, kicking an early goal through Reid after a brilliant chasedown tackle from ruck Williams on Finn Callaghan, who was well held throughout by Brady Hough.  

They were at their best when their pressure was high, with a series of determined efforts leading to goals for Jobe Shanahan, Waterman and a second for the impressive Jack Hutchinson. 

Reid was dominant in the midfield and had 14 disposals for the quarter, adding a second goal after a powerful fend off on Joe Fonti, with Ryan Angwin catching the Eagles' star high after a missed snap on goal, giving him a second chance to bury the set shot. 

The creative Malakai Champion got one of his own when he scooped up possession and quickly snapped to open a 20-point lead, with Jake Stringer kicking a desperately needed goal on the eve of half time to cut the margin to 14. 

The Giants needed to respond in the third and did, ramping up its own pressure to spark a five-goals-to-one run, with Max Gruzewski kicking a pair from set shots and Thomas booting another on the run as the Giants threatened to burst away. 

A big contested mark inside 50 for Williams gave the Eagles a goal on the eve of three-quarter time, cutting the margin to just four points at the last change. 

The Eagles head to the MCG to take on Collingwood in Scott Pendlebury's record-breaking match on Saturday.

WAALITJ MARAWAR                1.2   7.4   9.6    13.10 (88)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY   2.6   4.8   9.10  10.11 (71)

GOALS 
Waalitj Marawar: Waterman 3, Williams 2, Reid 2, Hutchinson 2, Murdock 2, Johnstone, Shanahan
Greater Western Sydney: Daniels 2, Gruzewski 2, Stringer 2, Bedford, Fonti, H.Oliver, Thomas

BEST
Waalitj Marawar: Reid, Williams, Waterman, Ginbey, Kelly, Hutchinson, Young 
Greater Western Sydney: Oliver, Thomas, Laverde, Ash, Daniels, Stringer 

INJURIES 
Waalitj Marawar: Nil 
Greater Western Sydney: Nil 

Crowd: 36,781 at Optus Stadium